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Sept. 17, 1929. E. RICHARDSON MAT Filed Feb. 25, 1927 Patented Sept. 17, 1929 2 UNITED STATES PATENT I oer-rice I EDWARD E. RIGHARDSON, 0F MAUMEE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTY-ONE PER CENT TO F. 0.

RICHEY MAT Application filed February 23, 1327. Serial .No. 170,229.

This invention relates to draft prevention devices and more particularly to devices adapted to close slots in a floor of a vehicle or the like through which the controlling levers, pedals, or the like of the vehicle extend.

One object of my invention. is to provide a slot closure which will effectively close the slots through which the shanks of levers project, and which at the same time will not offer any substantial resistance to the movement of the levers along the slots.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

My invention will be better understood from the description of a few practical embodiments thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a mat for the floor of an automobile provided with slot closures constituting one embodiment of my invention; I

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the mat shown in Fig. 1 on the line 11-11 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of closure; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3 showing still another modification.

In Fig. 1 a mat is shown having a base 1 which may be of any suitable material, but which I prefer should be made of rubber, fibre, or the like molded into desired shape. This base is provided with three slots 2, 3, and 4:, through which the pedal shanks 5 of an automobile may extend, and along which slots these pedals may be moved to actuate the mechanism of the machine. The base is formed adjacent the sides of the slots with upwardly extending flanges 6 which serve as supports for the slot-closing elements.

The slot-closing elements shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consist of two flexible rubber tubes 7 each slightly greater in diameter than half the distance between flanges 6 at the sides of the slots, and each secured to one flange as by cement 8. As shown in Fig. 2 these tubes normally press against each other and so slightly flatten their abutting faces.

Where the closure tubes contact the pedal shank 5, these tubes are considerably flattened, as shown at the right in Fig. 2 and due to their resiliency, press against the shank throughout substantially its entire periphery, effectively closing the slots both before and behind the'same, and at the same time, due to. their flexibilitycause no appreciable resistance to the movement of the lever. The rest of the slot-is 'eiiectively closed by the tubes abutting each other, as above described.

In Fig. 3' is shown a modification of the structure above described, in which a base 1 is provided with tubular flanges 7 a formed of flat strips of material looped about the edges may be cemented .to the upstanding flanges 6 as were the tubes 7 above vdescribed. I. find that sponge rubberwhen pressed against a metallic surface creates a very considerable friction and is therefore unsuitable to bear upon the pedal shanks, unless it is provided with a relatively non-porous contact surface.

I, therefore, prefer to use for the slot closures sponge rubber molded in strips or sheets the thickness of the pieces 7 the surfaces of which that are in contact with each other and. with flanges 6* being those that were formed by contact with the mold in which the rubber was cured. These surfaces are not porous and are much smoother than the interior of the sponge rubber and so present comparatively little resistance to the motion of the pedal shanks along the slots, while, at the same time, the interior of the strips, being of soft and resilient sponge rubber, press these surfaces together to effectively close the slots.

I find that flanges or slot closures which are compressed by movement of the levers along the slots, instead of being bent or deflected from their normal position, engage the lever shanks throughout the majority of their peof the mat base, at the slot and fastened to riphery and effectually close the slots immediately before and behind the said shanks, While oflering substantially no resistance to the movement thereof, and, moreover, take up substantially no room above the base of the mat, thus presenting a neat and attractive appearance.

lVhile I have described the illustrated embodiments of my invention in some particularity, obviously many others will occur to those skilled in the art to which this appertains, and I therefore do not limit myself to the precise details shown and described but claim as my invention all embodiments thereof coming Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is clalmed 1s i 1. A mat having slots therein for the passage of levers, closures'for the slots compris ing flexible tubes connected to the base and extending along the sides ofthe slots, the tubes on opposite sides of the same slots abutting each other along the sides diametrically.

opposite their points of attachment.

2. A mat comprisinga base having slots for the passage of levers, resilient tubes of a diameter greater than half the slot secured to the mat at the side of the slots and lying substantially in the plane ofthe base.

3. A mat comprising a base having slots for the passage or levers, flanges along the sides of said slots, and resilient tubes of a diameter greater than half the slot Width secured to said flanges.

4. A mat comprising a base having slots for the passage of levers, and tubular closures secured along the sides of said slots and abutting each other, the closures being resilient and compressible and lying substantially in the plane-of the base.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 21st day of February, 1927'. E. E. RICHARDSON. 

